Wishes
by Mea23
Summary: Franks death brings back memories for everyone in the family, but it also brings something not one of them could have ever expected. A secret has been brought to light that makes Stef question who her father was and everything about him. How can she be mad at him though when every wish she made as a kid is answered in a pretty blue eyed teenager named Madison?
1. Chapter 1

**Please read: I have decided to take the plunge and post the intro of the story I mentioned in an A/N of AfterSix. I'm a bit worried with having two stories going on at the same time, but several people messaged me their thoughts, my lovely regulars that is, and I have decided to go for it. There is going to be another story that will posted at some point by another writer and the two will resemble each other in some aspects. Great minds must think alike because we had the same idea for our stories. I'm mentioning something so if you read her story when she posts you will know it was an original idea because she should get the credit for thinking it up. I don't want to name names or anything, but she's a popular writer on here and her work is amazing so I want her to get all the credit she deserves when she does post because we have literally been writing them at the same time without knowing about the other. I guess you could say we're involved in a fanfiction email triangle and a friend to both of us notified us of the coincidence. The stories will each be unique in their own way and we have been emailing each other with worry that you readers may think we copied each other. There is likely to be minor similarities with them, but each story is completely original to my mind and to her mind. So no torches and pitch forks will be needed for those who are big on letting your voice be heard to copy cats because we're just so awesome we just had the same awesome idea :P I hope you enjoy this new story and feedback will make me so happy and make you get more chapters faster :)**

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Chapter One

Rain poured down outside of the house giving the already depressed women's moods an even lower feeling. Sounds of thunder rattled the house as they moved throughout the small office space. Stef was with her wife and mom at Frank's house. They had the funeral to plan and Sharon knew he was supposed to have some stuff already set up. Right now they just had to find the paperwork. Organization apparently wasn't Frank best ability in the world. His desk was a catch all center with various things scattered on it. So far they had found old paid off bills from over five years ago, magazines that looked as though they had not ever been opened, and junk mail that had definitely not been open. The oldest item they had found was nine years old. For some reason the trash bag was still empty though. None of the three women wanted to throw anything in it. It would just make things more real. Their search had started almost two hours ago with no luck so far. When Lena saw a box shoved into the corner between the desk and the wall she reached for it. When it wasn't as dusty as the rest of the items they had been through she knew it had to be what they were looking for. After pulling the top off she knew she was right after her eyes caught the old penmanship of her father in law.

"If you found this I must be on my way to being six feet under. Stefanie, please don't hate me for what you are going to find out." Lena read before looking up to her wife and Sharon.

"Well this should be good." Sharon said as she smacked dust off her pants. The term dusting must have been a foreign term for her ex husband.

Stef slowly took the large envelope from Lena. Taking the rubber band she loosened it from the rounded hook and eased it open. What on earth was her father talking about? She took in a deep breath as she began to read it aloud.

"I am writing this letter to help settle things upon my death in case it comes suddenly. As a man getting well into my age it is both a good thing and a bad thing. Everything I own is paid for, but I guess those years of hard work have come at a price. I could take an hour writing out my doctors findings of recent ailments. I guess you were right Stef. All of the TV dinners of frozen peas and Salisbury steaks weren't very healthy. Of course my love of twinkies and moon pies didn't help my health either. The biggest concern of my doctor is my heart issues. He thinks it's from my weight and eating habits, but I know what it's really from. It's from keeping a secret I never should have been keeping. A secret that is breaking me down…" Stef said trailing off.

Sharon and Lena exchanged looks with each other as Stef's hand shot to her mouth and her eyes widened. Frank for one, wasn't one for writing letters, and two, Stef didn't have reactions like she just had. She hid them as best as she could, but not now. A sound that was a mix of cry with a laugh came from her as she turned the page reading more. Tears began to fall in a way neither woman had ever seen before from the woman in front of them.

"Stefanie, baby, what does it say?" Sharon asked reaching over and putting a hand on her knee. Whatever it said it was serious.

Stef just shook her head as she kept reading the letter. She couldn't believe it. How could her father have kept this from her?

_Madison is a lovely young girl. I've kept her a secret for several reasons. One, she is younger than my grandchildren. She just recently turned 15. I'll never forget the day I found out I was going to be a father, again, at the age of 43. It was embarrassing really. I made a mistake. That mistake gave me another daughter though. Madison is an amazing kid. I always thought Stef resembled her mother, but I guess she got most of my genes since Madison is the spitting image of Stef at that age. Needless to say it terrifies me. I've talked with some lawyers about getting custody of her, but her Aunt, who has custody now, has money as well. I wouldn't stand a chance against her in court. Madison's mother passed away not too long ago. At the funeral Madison told me she wanted to live with me. Hearing those words made me so happy, but they also terrified me. I ruined my relationship with you Stefanie. What if I done it again? What if I failed Maddie to? I promised her I would see what I could do, but I guess it's too late now. If you are finding this letter it means that she's still living on Lake Tahoe and I've passed. Stefanie, if you're reading this like I hope you are, please don't hold your anger and hatred for me towards her. Madison knows all about you. Every visit she begs me to let her meet you. I know you always wanted a little sister. Well, you have one. One that's younger than your son and your foster daughter Callie and barely older than the twins. Please give her a chance. Don't make her pay for my mistakes. If you look farther into this envelope you'll find my will and her information. Please, Stefanie, let her know I'm gone. Let her know that I love her and I'm sorry I wasn't the father she deserved. I'm sorry I wasn't the father you deserved either. I love you Stefanie. I love Lena as well. I never said that before, but I do. I'm just an old stubborn ass of a man who only thinks about himself and his views. I love you both though. I couldn't be happier for you. You're both amazing moms and you gave me amazing grandchildren. All I ask is that you try to get to know Madison. Don't do it for me. Do it for her. None of this is her fault. Love, your Dad._

Stef cleared her throat and looked up to her wife and her mom.

"Stef, what is it?" Lena asked trying to judge the look on her face.

Stef swallowed the lump in her throat, "I—I have a s… I have a sist-er." She said barely able to form the word. "Her— her name is Madison.—I have a sister named Madison." She said. Her words trembled just like her hands.

Sharon and Lena's eyes both widened as Stef just looked at them. Frank had another kid, literally. Sharon and Lena still didn't know how young she was, but Stef did and she could believe it…

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**Well... what do you think? Let me know in that little box below :) More I hear the more you read :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**I am so glad you guys liked the first chapter of the story and thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Knowing you all liked it makes me so excited :) Here's you another chapter and I hope you enjoy it as much as the first!**

**I forgot to give thanks to ****_Obsessedatopia, TheTBone, and emilyam _****for doing read overs for me on the last chapter. So Thanks! ****_Obsessedatopia _****and ****_TheTBone_**** also did some reading over of this one as well so thanks again! All three of them are awesome!**

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Chapter Two

Stef paced her kitchen holding her phone in her hand. She had the numbers dialed on the screen and her thumb was hovering over the green call button. It had been for what seemed like forever. Why couldn't she just press the damn thing already? Her mom and her wife were watching her as were Dana and Stewart. They had come to town early to help out. For once Lena was grateful for their early arrival. It just made Stef more nervous now. There was basically an audience waiting for her to call her sister. Her sister she didn't even know about until a few hours ago. Her sister named Madison who was only 15 years old. A kid. She had a kid sister. How had her life came to this? Secrets. That's how it came to this point. She just kept pacing while staring at her phone. The number was still there waiting to be dialed.

"Honey, that call ain't gonna make itself. The girl deserves to know about her, well about your—she deserves to know about Frank." Sharon said giving up on how to word it as she tried to give her daughter the little push she needed.

Stef looked at her mom as though she had gone mad, "How do you expect me to do this? What am I supposed to say? Hi, I'm the sister you never met, I'm calling to tell you our father is dead and the funeral is Thursday at twelve. Hope to see you there?"

Sharon crossed her arms as Lena walked over and took the phone from Stef slowly, "I'll call her honey. I'll take care of it."

"He asked me to do it Lena." Stef replied looking at her wife, "I have a sister. My father is dead and I have a sister. A fifteen year old sister. I could be her mother." She said the last part in a laugh as she threw her hands in the air. "She is the aunt to our children and younger than two of them, the same age as the twins, and hardly older than Jude."

Everyone just exchanged looks. They couldn't imagine what she was going through. Not with just Frank dying, but finding out a secret like that. It wasn't just an old secret, but a young secret as well. A teenage secret.

"Pretend the roles are reversed Stef. You'd want the call sooner than later, right?" Stewart said looking at her with a small smile trying to be helpful.

Stef just closed her eyes as she sat down on the stool and took in a deep breath. This wasn't like her. The fear. The nervousness. She had to do it because her father asked her to. She had to do this. That's what she told herself as she hit the dial button and then put it on speaker. Lena sat next to her and took her hand as Sharon moved to her other side as well. It rang several times, but someone finally picked up.

"Lorde residence." A male voice said.

"Um, yes, I'm—My name is Stefanie Adams Foster. I need to speak with Madison please. It's about her, _our_, father. Are you a relative?" Stef replied. Her voice was shaking.

"No mam'. I'm the butler. Maddie isn't home at the moment. I can put you in touch with Mrs. Lorde, her aunt, if you would like. My name is Carl by the way." The man told her.

Stef nodded her head even though he couldn't see her, "Thank you Carl. I'd appreciate it."

"Yes mam'. Just hold for one second and I'll patch you through to her office."

Stef looked to her wife who made a face. They were dealing with someone of the last name Lorde, who had a butler, and an office. This should be interesting. It would be in either a good way or a bad way.

"Frank must have moved up on who he was shagging." Sharon said trying to break the tension a little bit. That was one thing she and Frank always agreed on. No matter the situation a joke could fix anything if it was done right. When she got a small laugh from her daughter and the others she smiled to herself. That's what she was going for.

"Yes, this is Jennifer Lorde, who's speaking?" a womans voice sounded through the phone.

It was obvious she thought she was the best of the best by her tone. This was going to bad experience.

"My name is Stefanie Adams Foster. Are you Madison's aunt?" Stef said holding the phone to her mouth like a police radio. A sigh sounded from the other line.

"What has the ungrateful brat done now?" Jennifer asked.

Lena squeezed her wife's hand seeing the anger flash over her face.

Stef cleared her throat trying to keep under control. Here she was ready to go off on the woman for calling Madison a brat when she didn't even know her, "I'm her sister and I'm calling because our father has died. His funeral is going to be this Thursday. I was—I was hoping she may be able to attend. We haven't met before, but I would like to meet her. Maybe we could set up a way we can stay in contact. I can fly there so she won't have to fly here alone." Stef said as she rubbed her temples.

Hearing that caused Sharon and Lena to exchange looks. Stef had really been thinking about this the past few hours.

"No need. I'll have Carl try to find her. She can fly alone and is your problem while she is there. Send her back whenever you like. She's off of probation so that won't be a problem, but she is a dreadful child so I doubt you'll want her in your life for very long. If that is all I have work to do." Jennifer said.

Dana scoffed at the sound of the woman's attitude. Rude and inconsiderate was an understatement.

"I've never heard someone so rude in my life." Dana said loudly hoping the woman would hear her.

Stef didn't mind her mother in laws comment and was glad she said it, "No that is not all." Stef responded in a near growl, "I would like to leave my phone number for her to call me. I'll pick her up from the airport. She can stay with my family and me for however long she is here." Stef said ready to go off like a bomb. If her sister was dreadful it was probably from having to put up with Mrs. Cruella De Vil on the other line.

"Mam', this is Carl again. I can give Madison this number if you would like it to be the one she contact you by. I'm sorry about Mr. Elkin's passing. Maddie always told me great stories about him. He thought a lot of you too. I can't believe she's having to live through two parents dying eight months apart. She still hasn't dealt with her mothers death... not that anyone ever really deals with something like that. Especially at her age."

Stef felt a feeling she hadn't really felt before. It was something new. Something differently. She just shook her head at the thought of Madison's mom dying and now her, their, Dad. They knew her mom had passed, but not that it been such a short time ago. She looked to Lena and her mom before back to the phone, "Do you mind if I ask what happened to her mom?" she asked knowing everyone in the room was wondering it.

"Not at all. Ms. Lorde passed away from her battle with breast cancer. Madison hasn't been the same since. She was there when it happened holding her in her arms. I don't know anyone stronger than her, but she has to face it. This is just going to add more to her plate. If anyone can do it though she can. I know she will really like meeting you." Carl told her.

"I'm so sorry. I knew her mother had passed, but not when or how. She sounds like a great kid. I-I'll do whatever I can for her." Stef said surprising herself at the statement. Silence filled the other end.

"She really is a great kid Mrs. Adams Foster, but Madison's hurting. She can put on a brave face and paint a smile better than anyone I know, but you just have to learn her. I hope you mean what you said. I don't want to see her hurt more. I have to go now, but I'll have her call you as soon as she is home. I'm sorry for your loss."

Stef just pursed her lips, "Thank you Carl. Bye." She said. A click sounded on the other line and she just covered her face. How was she going to do this? How could she be a comfort to someone she didn't know? What if Madison didn't want her to be there? Things could have changed since the time her Dad wrote that letter.

"It's going to be okay love." Lena said kissing her wife's head. She then shared a look with her parent's and mother in law. This was going to be a lot more complicated than what they thought. She was worried and so were they…

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Lena sat on the bed watching her wife go from pacing the kitchen earlier to their bedroom now. Her phone was being tossed back forth between her hands as a dazed expression was on her face. Her mind was filled with thoughts that she didn't want to talk about. Stef was attemping to put up a shield, but it wasn't working. She couldn't hide any of this. Not her sadness, her fear, or her regret. Lena could see it all.

"Why don't you change your place so you can make the floor match from being warn down." Lena said from over the book she was reading.

Stef let out a laugh through her nose, "You are spending way too much time with my mother." She replied. She stopped when her phone started ringing. Her eyes widened and her heart began racing.

"Is it her?" Lena asked even though she already knew the answer.

Stef nodded her head. It was the right area code.

"Answer it Stef!" Lena said throwing a small pillow at her.

Catching the pillow she threw it back and hit the answer button, "This is Madison. I mean—this is Stef. Is this Madison?" she said shaking her head. She sounded like a bumbling idiot. Silence filled the other end and she sat down on the bed, "Madison?" she said quietly. When a sniffle sounded she closed her eyes. Madison was crying.

"Yes, yes mam'. It's Madison."

A voice said. It was so sweet sounding. So scared as well. The way it cracked told her Madison had been crying hard.

Stef bit down on her lip, "Did Carl tell you?" she asked. The fact that her sister just called her mam' also registered.

"Um, no, he- he went to get something for Jeniffer. I—there was a note on my bed. All it said was _Your Dad is dead. Someone named Susan called. Funeral Thursday. Do what you want. Heading to the spa, don't disturb me. _I already had your number because I got it out of Dad's phone when he fell asleep one time so I just—I just called…I hope I'm not-well I just assumed and I- I didn't know what to do."

Stef was ready to catch a flight now and give this Mrs. Jennifer Lorde a piece of her mind. Lena had her mouth covered again because she had heard what Madison said since the phone was on speaker again. One, the aunt didn't even bother to remember Stef's name and then to tell someone news like that in a note and then say don't disturb me I'm going to the spa was just heartless.

"You did the right thing Madison. I wanted you to call me. I am so sorry you had to find out like that. I called earlier and I should have just kept trying to call until you were home. I'm so sorry." Stef told her. She heard Madison cleared her throat on the other line.

"It's not your fault. I avoid this house as much as I can so you probably wouldn't have gotten in touch with me anyways other than by my cell. I keep away from Jennifer at all costs. Even her shadow tries to avoid her."

Stef and Lena both smiled slightly because of the last thing Madison said. She was going to have a sense of humor to her and a smart mouth too.

"Yea, she didn't exactly sound like Mary Poppins when I called. I—I was hoping, well my wife and I were hoping." Stef corrected seeing the look on Lena's face, "That you might can come here for the funeral. I'm not sure how it is with your school and all, but maybe you could somehow stay for a week or two with us? I'd—I'd really like to get to know you Madison. I wish I knew about you sooner."

A cryful laugh sounded that made Lena want to smile and cry with her.

"I'm doing an online school program so that's not a problem. Jennifer won't even notice me gone. I'll rent a hotel room out for my stay though." Madison replied.

"No!" Lena said not liking that idea, "We want you to stay here with us. We insist! I can't believe I have a sister in law!" she told the girl.

Stef just smiled at her wife seeing that she was excited about this. Silence filled the other line though. They exchanged a look. What if Frank hadn't told her that they were lesbians? She hadn't reacted when Stef had called Lena her wife seconds ago though.

"You didn't know I was a lesbian and married to a woman did you?" Stef asked bluntly not putting it past her father to keep it from Madison. She didn't get an answer.

"If it makes you uncomfortable then we understand." Lena said trying to keep her voice steady. "We don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"What? No, no, no. I mean, it's not that. I swear." Madison told them. "I know your lesbians. It's fine. I just—I'm not coming alone so I think it would be best if I got a place for while I'm there."

Stef and Lena both sighed in relief. She knew and she was fine with their relationship. They then shared another look.

"Who's coming with you?" Lena asked, "I'm sure we can make room for them as well. I mean if it's a boyfriend it'll have to be separate rooms because... well I mean then again your her sister, but we have kids your ago so..." she said trailing off. What if it was the friend who wasn't fine with their relationship?

Madison was good at silence because Stef had to check to make sure the line was still connected.

"Or girlfriend, significant other, other half, whatever you call it these days." Lena added wondering if she said something wrong and what she could say to make it better.

Once again, no answer sounded.

Stef took in deep breath, "Madison, talk to us. We're trying here. What's going on?" she asked.

"It's not a guy or a girl. Well it is. It's—I just" Madison said trialing off. "I have a daughter named Zoey. She's a little over two months old."

Stef and Lena were definitely not expecting that. This time they were speechless.

"But you just turned 15. How can you have a kid?" Stef said not thinking about how what she said sounded or what her tone accused.

This time when no answer could be heard it was for a reason. It was because it followed the click of Madison hanging up on her. Lena just gave her wife a look not believing her. Here they were worried about Madison accepting them, but Stef just made all types of accusations in two sentences with her tone. Lena knew she didn't mean anything by it, but for a girl who had never delt with Stef before there was no telling what she was thinking now. Lena didn't have to say anything to her wife though because Stef was already hitting redial in a panic...

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**Do I seem to be going OOC with Stef? I'm trying to do a confused emotional worried shocked side of her and am worried I'm not doing it right. Did you guys like this post? Please let me know your thoughts. I already have several chapters written, but still go in and add omit stuff before uploading. The more feedback I get from you all though the faster I post because your PM's and reviews really do help me :) Thanks for reading!**


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